Gov. Christine Todd Whitman has a 51 - 35 percent lead over former Democratic
Governor James Florio in the still undeclared New Jersey Senate race, according to a
Quinnipiac College Poll released today.

Gov. Whitman apparently has a 50 percent base of support: She tops Congressman
Frank Pallone 50 - 29 percent, even though Pallone has a very low recognition factor. In a
February 12 poll by the independent Quinnipiac College, Whitman beat Sen. Frank
Lautenberg 50 - 41 percent in a hypothetical matchup, shortly before Lautenberg announced
he would not seek reelection.

The Governor's approval rating is 52 - 40 percent, down from 58 - 33 percent in the
February 12 poll.

And by a 50 - 18 percent margin, voters say Whitman has been a better governor than
Florio.

"The only cloud on Gov. Whitman's seemingly bright horizon is that she barely breaks
that magic 50 percent where most politicians feel they're home free," said Maurice Carroll,
director of the Quinnipiac College Polling Institute. "Her last three elections have been very
close. While she starts this next possible campaign with a good lead, we look at that 50 percent
and ask, `Is that all there is?'

"For former governor James Florio, the news is worse. Florio is one of only two New
Jersey governors who have been denied a second term since the state constitution was changed.
People apparently remember why they voted against him," Carroll said.

By a 40 - 25 percent margin, voters have a favorable opinion of Whitman, while 31
percent have a mixed opinion and 4 percent haven't heard enough to form an opinion.
Favorability ratings for other possible Senate candidates are:

Only 15 percent of New Jersey voters say they would be bothered if Whitman wins the
Senate race and does not complete her last year as Governor, while 82 percent say they would
not be bothered.

Whitman's gets a negative 41 - 54 percent approval for her handling of taxes, but a 49 -
38 approval for her handling of the state budget; a 52 - 38 percent grade for her handling of
education; a 61 - 23 percent approval for her handling of crime, and a 61 - 26 percent
approval for her handling of the environment.

The Governor gets a 45 - 35 percent approval for her handling of race relations and a
big negative 30 - 63 percent approval for her handling of car insurance.

From March 23 - 29, Quinnipiac College surveyed 984 New Jersey residents who say
they are registered voters. The poll has a margin of error of +/- 3.1 percent.

The Quinnipiac College Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, conducts public opinion
surveys in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut as a public service and for research.

For additional data: www.quinnipiac.edu

1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling
her job as Governor of New Jersey?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 52% 76% 35% 50% 55% 50% 58%

Disapprove 40 20 56 41 38 41 33

DK/NA 8 4 9 9 7 9 10

2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Frank Lautenberg is handling his job
asUnited States Senator?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 54% 37% 72% 54% 50% 58% 52%

Disapprove 25 45 8 25 34 17 29

DK/NA 21 18 19 21 16 24 19

3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Torricelli is handling his
job as United States Senator?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 43% 28% 62% 40% 43% 43% 45%

Disapprove 29 43 11 33 35 24 30

DK/NA 28 29 27 27 22 34 24

5. Is your opinion of New Jersey Governor Christine Whitman favorable,
unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about her?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Favorable 40% 61% 26% 38% 44% 36% 46%

Unfavorable 25 11 39 24 24 25 25

Mixed 31 25 30 33 29 32 28

Haven't heard enough 4 2 5 5 3 6 2

REFUSED 1 1 1 1 - 1 -

6. Is your opinion of former New Jersey Governor James Florio favorable
unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Favorable 24% 12% 41% 21% 22% 26%

Unfavorable 43 65 20 46 52 36

Mixed 20 11 24 22 17 22

Haven't heard enough 12 11 14 10 9 15

REFUSED 1 1 1 1 - 1

7. Is your opinion of New Jersey Congressman Frank Pallone favorable,
unfavorable, mixed, or haven't you heard enough about him?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Favorable 12% 12% 12% 11% 14% 10%

Unfavorable 4 4 2 5 6 1

Mixed 10 9 10 12 11 9

Haven't heard enough 74 75 76 72 68 79

REFUSED - - - - - -

8. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held
today and the candidates were James Florio the Democrat, and Christine Whitman
the Republican, for whom would you vote?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Florio 35% 10% 66% 30% 31% 38%

Whitman 51 80 23 54 56 47

SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 4 4 4 5 6 3

WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 4 2 2 5 3 4

DK/NA 6 3 6 7 4 7

9. If the election for United States Senator in the year 2000 were being held
today and the candidates were Frank Pallone the Democrat, and Christine Whitman
the Republican, for whom would you vote?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Pallone 29% 9% 55% 24% 29% 30%

Whitman 50 78 24 53 55 46

SOMEONE ELSE (VOL) 3 2 3 4 4 2

WOULDN'T VOTE (VOL) 3 2 3 3 3 2

DK/NA 15 9 16 16 9 20

10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling the
state budget?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 49% 71% 33% 48% 55% 44% 46%

Disapprove 38 20 55 38 35 40 40

DK/NA 14 9 12 15 10 16 13

11. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling crime?

Mar 4
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 61% 76% 54% 58% 63% 60% 67%

Disapprove 23 12 30 26 23 24 20

DK/NA 15 11 16 16 14 16 13

12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling
education?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 52% 71% 45% 47% 55% 50% 47%

Disapprove 38 20 47 43 37 39 39

DK/NA 9 9 8 10 8 11 14

13. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling the
environment?

Aug 10
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 61% 77% 49% 60% 61% 60% 66%

Disapprove 26 14 38 25 29 23 23

DK/NA 13 9 13 16 10 16 11

14. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling taxes?

Feb 12
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1999

Approve 41% 61% 26% 39% 47% 36% 40%

Disapprove 54 35 67 55 49 57 52

DK/NA 6 4 6 5 4 7 8

15. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling
welfare and the poor?

Mar 4
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 50% 67% 38% 48% 53% 48% 57%

Disapprove 31 13 46 32 27 33 29

DK/NA 19 20 16 20 19 19 14

16. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling the
economy and jobs?

Aug 10
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 67% 83% 50% 69% 72% 62% 63%

Disapprove 25 12 40 22 21 28 31

DK/NA 9 4 10 9 7 10 6

17. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling car
insurance?

Mar 4
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 30% 39% 25% 27% 32% 28% 14%

Disapprove 63 52 70 65 62 64 81

DK/NA 8 9 5 8 6 9 5

18. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling
abortion?

Mar 4
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom 1998

Approve 38% 41% 36% 39% 38% 37% 42%

Disapprove 26 28 29 25 26 26 29

DK/NA 36 31 35 36 36 37 29

19. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Christine Whitman is handling race
relations?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Approve 45% 58% 39% 43% 45% 45%

Disapprove 35 26 43 36 38 32

DK/NA 20 17 17 22 16 23

20. Do you think Christine Whitman has been a better Governor than James
Florio, a worse governor, or about the same?

Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom

Better 50% 82% 25% 51% 55% 46%

Worse 18 7 36 15 16 20

Same 27 8 32 31 26 27

DK/NA 5 3 8 4 3 6

21. If Governor Christine Whitman runs and wins election to the United States
Senate in the year 2000, would it bother you that she would not have completed
her term as Governor or wouldn't that bother you?